My mum got me this book for christmas - thanks mum! I've read it and, although it is undoubtedly academic, found it a very interesting read. Firstly, if its life story and history that you're after - look elsewhere because this book is all about the music! Secondly, if you've absolutely no idea about theory you'll probably have absolutely no idea what this book is on about for the most part! However, I'm no great theorist by any stretch of the imagination. You need to have a basic understanding of music though, as the book has a huge amount of musical examples in standard notation ( there's a little bit of TAB at the beginning ). Its the kind of book you'll need to have a guitar by your side too, unless you're that good with your theory/ear that you can read and hear the musical examples in your head.. In very basic terms Givan indentifies certain musical formulae (about 50 i think ) that Django used in his solos then applies them, with an in depth analysis, to 3 or 4 classic full solos (See you in my dreams, Melodie au Crepuscule etc) and many other excerpts from a range of Django solos. As well this, Givan also explores the chronological musical evolution of Django and analyses things like how Django absorbed Bebop etc. There is much, much more than this in the book but if you're interested in the above then I'd go ahead and order it up! It's around the £20 mark I believe.. Hope that helps.. Neill

There are more accessible methods of learniing to play in the style (e.g. Denis Changs great videos) and better biographies (Dregni).

What he does is apply various techniques to analyse Django's style and it"s subsequent development. A reasonable background in music theory would be helpful as it is clearly an academic study. You'll also benefit from having the recordings he is refering too (some of which are quite obscure).

I'm enjoying it as it's leading me to listen to the recordings from different angles and get deeper into the music. Also I'm biased as he agrees with me (see previous posts) that he can hear Charlie Christian in some Django's post war playing - even cites the same recording.

Would Django have been conscious of using any of the techniques in book ? Of course not but as means of studying his artistry and an attempt at modelling his methods it's a serious contribution.

Yeah, it does make you wonder how typical some of those phrases are when he is referencing such little heard tunes.

On the plus side we get to listen to some nice stuff which might have passed by unnoticed.

I thought the passage on Django absorbing Bebop into his style was the best bit I've read so far. I remember the first time I heard Django playing on those late 50's sets having difficulty believing it was him. Sounded like Hank Garland when he played jazz to me at the time. Astonishing really, what would he have sounded like if hed lived on ?

That should of course read "late, 50's sets." His playing had rather gone off the boil by the late 50's.

On a loosely related note, I noticed that Stochelo is trying for that late Django sound on the latest Rosies album. Is it just me who thought I was having a problem with my speakers ? I kept turning the bass down in an attempt to cure the distortion. It bugs the hell out of me but I've read admiring reviews. This could have been avoided if somebody had had the nerve to tell Django to turn it down !

I love that late Django distorted sound! Stochelo is achieving it with one of these amps http://www.pechealamouche.ch/pechealamo ... dex.php/en specifically designed for that purpose. I suppose it's a love it or hate it thing. It certainly has nothing to do with acoustic guitar sound!

I know this is probably heresy, but ever since I started listening to 'The Big Man' in the 1970's (I'm now 127!) I've always preferred his electric sound, from the distorted, overdriven 1947 recordings up to that rich, full, thick tone on the 1953 Blues for Ike Session. Fantastic.

And:

"His playing had rather gone off the boil by the late 50's." ?????

Hmmm.... Not sure about that one....

But then again, I guess that could be right as he died in the EARLY 50's!!!

And Djangoslefthandman, I did notice you'd inserted the missing comma! Only having a bit of fun to lighten up a dull day in the office.

I'm still not sure about about DR going off the boil during that period, though. I hesitate to mention it as it's been the subject of many a late night booze-fuelled discussion over the years, believe me. And probably never to be resolved!

Actually I like the Stimer sound as well. I use a Dupont Stimer copy through a valve head into an AER when we are playing noisey venues. I'ved used that setup on 'straight ' jazz gigs to good effect. That amp looks a lot of cash to lay out. Surely that isn't a hard sound to emulate ? Cheap amp cranked up a bit ?

The 47/48 period is probably my favourite as well. But I think the distorted sound was more a product of Djangos desire to dominate proceedings than an artistic choice.